Speculation all around: Ripple is supposedly getting ready to acquire Circle, the company behind the second-largest stablecoin, USDC. Particularly, XRP holders are keen to know how such a deal might impact the price of Ripple’s native token.
Ripple’s Acquisition Strategy
Ripple has taken a turn in 2025, emerging as one of the most aggressive players in crypto M&A. Earlier this year, the company acquired Hidden Road, a crypto brokerage platform, for $1.25 billion. Now, it appears Ripple has set its sights on a much bigger target: Circle.
Circle currently manages over $61 billion in USDC and has been preparing a public offering under the ticker symbol “CRCL” on the NYSE, targeting a valuation of around $5 billion. Though Circle rejected Ripple’s $4-$5 billion acquisition offer in April, circumstances have since evolved. The company is reportedly in preliminary discussions with Ripple and Coinbase, with new bids ranging between $6 and $11 billion.
Should Ripple succeed, it would have control over its own stablecoin (RLUSD) and USDC, giving it a large influence in the stablecoin market. This would strengthen Ripple’s position within the crypto payments infrastructure, particularly via Ripple Payments.
What does this mean for XRP?
Several market analysts have weighed in on potential price scenarios. In a moderate scenario, if Ripple acquires Circle for $6-$8 billion and successfully integrates USDC, analysts project that XRP could rise to between $3.50 and $4.50. This projection assumes that increased stablecoin activity will boost liquidity across Ripple’s network, indirectly increasing demand for XRP as a bridge asset.
Others offer a similar outlook for this baseline scenario, also placing XRP in the $3.50-$4.50 range. While stablecoins don’t directly determine XRP’s price, their integration into Ripple Payments could elevate XRP’s utility for cross-border settlements.
In a bullish scenario, where Ripple absorbs Circle and effectively scales Ripple Payments across global markets, analysts see XRP climbing to $6-$10. This would assume a strong bull market backdrop and flawless technical integration between RLUSD and USDC.